Lacson bent on filing charges vs Faeldon

After former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon dared Senator Panfilo Lacson to file corruption charges against him, the senator on Wednesday revealed that he intends to pursue the case. (Photo By Robert Viñas / Malacañang Photo Bureau – Presidential Communications Operations Office, Public Domain)

MANILA — After former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon dared Senator Panfilo Lacson to file corruption charges against him, the senator on Wednesday revealed that he intends to pursue the case.

“We’ll come to that. I’m consolidating all evidence. Even if he does not ask for it I really intend to pursue this,” Lacson told reporters Wednesday.

It may be recalled that Lacson, in a privilege speech on August 23, exposed several Bureau of Customs (BOC) officials, including Faeldon, as having received millions worth of bribes. He claimed that Faeldon was among the first to receive a bribe called “pasalubong” worth PHP100 million.

Lacson said he could not identify his informants at the BOC unless they signified their intention or willingness to reduce their information into sworn statements.

He, however, said that his office is working on it.

The senator added he had no intention of filing a libel suit against Faeldon for claiming that Lacson’s son and namesake Panfilo Lacson Jr. was involved in smuggling billions worth of cement.

“It’s up to my son if he wants to file a libel suit. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s too tedious,” Lacson said.

Should Faeldon attend the next Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probe into the PHP 6.4 billion worth of shabu shipment, Lacson, said that he would not bring up the former commissioner’s allegations against him to the probe and would merely stick to issues.

“There’s no such thing as a face off. If he’s there and I’m there, I’m not challenging him or anything to that effect. I stand by the contents of my privilege speech. In the first place, his attack is personal and I’m sticking to issues,” Lacson said.

Lacson also slammed Faeldon for diverting the issue to his parliamentary immunity in delivering his privilege speech accusing Faeldon of corruption.

“It cannot be denied there’s immunity. (But) he’s diverting from the issue. The issue is, is there corruption in the BOC? That’s all he needs to answer,” Lacson said.

“He’s trying to divert the issue and I’m not going down to his level,” he added.